Woodworker opens shop in Hillsdale

HILLSDALE — A woodworker with a mission to preserve memories has expanded services and now has a shop in downtown Hillsdale.

Jim Beardsley of Kookelberry Farm, a 5-acre farm in southern Hillsdale County, now has a shop next to Marcia Cole’s Cake Thyme at 61 N. Broad St., Hillsdale. The shop will be open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Monday through Friday by appointment.

Making family heirlooms is what Beardsley loves to do for people, so when he had the chance to bring his hand-crafted items to town, he jumped at the opportunity.

“Marcia has been looking for another business to be in the space next to her cake-making business and this is a way we can compliment each other,” Beardsley said.

On site he offers plaques, clocks, quilt racks, mail boxes, bins and other unique items perfect for gifts needed for special occasions like Mother’s Day.

One of his most popular services is photo engraving. By using software obtained from England, Beardsley can engrave a photo into a wood plaque rubbed with Minwax stain and finished with polyurethane.He also recently bought out S&S Trophy from its former owner who moved to Florida, so Beardsley will add trophies to his offerings. Additionally, furniture and antique restoration is another service available for patrons.

“With a CNC machine, I can duplicate anything in furniture and antique repair,” Beardsley said. “It’s something no one else is doing around here and I get calls every day.”

As a former fire damage contractor certified by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), Beardsley has an ozone machine that can remove odors and smoke damage.

Jane, his wife, said family heirlooms are precious to people who trust her husband to bring the items back to life.

“He likes to personalize items like quilt racks with sayings, or a favorite Bible verse,” she said. “He made me a stool to stand on with a handle to steady myself for safety and wheels for easy placement.”

Another project Beardsley recently finished was a rocker for an elderly woman who passed the heirloom on to her granddaughter and now, her daughter.

“That’s what I like to focus on,” Beardsley said. “Those items are special to people.”

The downtown store will offer “cash and carry” items Beardsley said are unique, like clocks with the Hillsdale High School Hornet logo and napkin holders in the shape of a tea pot with Hillsdale, MI engraved on them.

Layaway is available and the store will accept all major credit cards.

When he’s not woodworking, Beardsley also does wheelchair transportation for several nursing homes and the hospital.